JENNY MORRIS
Nashville,TN
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Creative Services Manager
CSI DMC
Nashville, Tennessee
07.2022 - Current
- Evaluate existing workflows and identify areas for improvement or optimization, such as creating reports in Salesforce for a more efficient workflow, suggesting mood board refreshers be created in markets we service for quarterly project.
- Oversee junior teammates and interns, providing guidance and feedback on creative projects.
- Facilitate brainstorming sessions to generate innovative ideas for client projects.
- Monitor budget allocations, and negotiate competitive rates with external vendors when necessary.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of industry trends through research, in order to stay ahead of competitors' initiatives.
- Manage project timelines and deliverables to meet client expectations and deadlines.
- Establish relationships with vendors for collaboration and discounted services.
Director of Events (formally Event Manager)
Cheekwood Estate and Gardens
Nashville, TN
07.2015 - 08.2021
- Executed sales processes including created marketing documents, site visit presentation, design contracts, collecting fees to booking vendors for client events
- Created and designed image boards, layouts, timelines, catering and rental orders for clients and internal departments needs based on purpose of event
- Researched, developed and launched other revenue and service opportunities with "think outside of the box" mentality to include photo sessions, elopements, proposals, birthday parties, etc.
- Operated with initiative and remain highly reliable, polished and professional when dealing with clients, members, sponsors, vendors, internal departments and executive management
- Built and negotiated contracts and relationships with robust preferred vendor network to include in-kind donations, discounts, and kickbacks
- Determined up-selling opportunities with clients to improve client satisfaction and experience while also increasing revenue
- Managed corporate client and donor relations post event for optimal opportunity repeat business
- Troubleshoot and crisis management for client during planning and execution of event
- Marketed and publicized weddings and other special events through blogs, social media, website, sales brochures and other media outlets
- Developed large network of event professionals by participating in industry events to grow outbound sales
Education
Associate of Arts - Fashion Merchandising
The Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago
Chicago, ILBachelor of Fine Arts - Design Communications
Belmont University
Nashville, TNSkills
- Create and design vision boards and floorplans for internal events and client events
- Client consultation and discovery
- Special events logistic planning including tenting and rental needs
- Catering and vendor coordination
- Event Sales and Marketing for venue and fundraising events
- Creative business growth, research and strategizing
- Crisis management
- Client and teammate relations
- Efficient time management and implementing process improvement
- Oversee and develop department budget
- Contract negotiations and administration
- Team management and development
Goals for Nashville & Chicago Design & Development Team
- Foster and advocate for the team in a collaborative environment through continued education, effective problem solving, and solution based conversation to produce stronger proposals and empower growth together and individually.
- Define more efficient communication avenues for Sales and Creative to uncover client's vision and provide more accurate presentation of event needs and identifying client's priorities, in doing so, ensure best use of time on proposal revisions, human resources, production time, etc.
- Produce stronger renderings through higher level software products to present a more immersive experience to the client
- Incorporate AI as a tool to speed up design process, create more dynamic and convincing proposals with profound storytelling
- Keep up with trends and presenting not only new innovations in event design, but technology, interior design, graphic arts, etc. as well
- Cultivate a mindset that Cohera will be a high end and desired brand in the DMC realm, then redefine a business and design model that reflects that culture
- Create and organize robust and brand consistent tariffs and database with comprehensive catalog of branding items, stage designs, roaming entertainment options, etc. that ensures we are presenting the best of the best every time
- Aid in client site visits ensuring design presentation and merchandising of decor samples is top notch in execution while being cost conscientious with help of partner relationships
Accomplishments
- Proposed and designed over 70 proposals that lead to verified contracts and have operated and l resulting in $7,560,655.00 in sales in 3 years to date at CSI DMC.
- Entrusted to develop proposals outside of the local market, showing success in collaborating with teams across multiple markets, including creating the first CSI DMC - 360 DG merged proposal for the Texas Team and then for Herbalife in Nashville, traveling to Jacksonville, FL for Cigna Healthcare for client site, etc.
- Created and enacted a restructure of the Events Department at Cheekwood Estate that included new positions/ restructuring of personnel, development of new marketing material, new procedures and policies.
- Oversaw a team of (2) Sales and Operation Managers, (5) coordinators and 25+ part time staff while serving as the liaison for the 60+ Full Time employees at Cheekwood in various departments.
- Designed, planned, executed over 100 + Internal Events for Cheekwood Estate and Gardens
- Created, launched, and marketed highly successful Micro Wedding Package that resulted is $77,000 in gross sales within 4 months of it's launch in Summer/Fall 2020 as well as featured in Martha Stewart Weddings at Cheekwood Estate.
- Led team to achieve recognition by being voted #1 Best of Nashville Wedding Venues in 2020 and #2 in 2021
- Exceeded sales goals by average of 43% in site rental fees and 36% in overall revenues in 2019 budget
Timeline
Senior Creative Services Manager
CSI DMC
07.2022 - Current
Director of Events (formally Event Manager)
Cheekwood Estate and Gardens
07.2015 - 08.2021
Associate of Arts - Fashion Merchandising
The Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Design Communications
Belmont University